The present invention relates to a tiller and more particularly to a tiller including an engine, a plurality of rotating tines, and a handle which rotate with respect to a main frame of the tiller.
Tillers are typically used to cultivate soil in flower and vegetable gardens, lawns, and the like. The tiller prepares the ground for planting of seeds and seedling plants. Conventional tillers require considerable strength by the user to control and steer the tiller due to the size, weight, and lack of stability of the tiller.
Some tillers have tines or soil churning members disposed at the rear of the tiller behind a pair of wheels and an engine. Other tillers have tines disposed at the front of the tiller in front of the wheels and the engine. Tillers have been produced, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,931, where the handle of the tiller can be pivoted with respect to a main frame of the tiller. The pivoting of the handle converts the tiller from a rear tine type to a front tine type. With the pivoting handle tillers of the prior art, considerable strength is still required by the user to control and steer the tiller due to the size, weight, and lack of stability of the tiller.
It would be desirable to produce a tiller which maximizes the stability of the tiller, minimizes the strength required by the user to turn and control the tiller, and remains level with the ground during operation.
Consistent and consonant with the present invention, a tiller which maximizes the stability of the tiller, minimizes the strength required by the user to turn and control the tiller, and remains level with the ground during operation, has surprisingly been discovered. The tiller comprises: a main frame; a plurality of ground engaging wheels, the wheels being spaced apart to support the main frame for movement on the ground; a plurality of tilling tines mounted to rotate about a first axis and to rotate relative to the base about a second axis; a prime mover mounted to deliver power to the tines to effect rotation about the first axis; and a handle adapted for rotating the tines about the second axis.